Air carrier with medical emergency was delayed in landing due to go around issued by tower for conflicting traffic in position on runway. Tower was not informed by approach control that an emergency situation existed.

flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 1400

ASRS Report

82307

Person 2

Function

controller : approach

Qualification

controller : radar

Events

Anomaly

other anomaly other

Independent Detector

other flight crewa

Resolutory Action

flight crew : declared emergency none taken : anomaly accepted

Consequence

faa : reviewed incident with flight crew

Supplementary

Primary Problem

ATC Human Performance

Air Traffic Incident

Inter Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

At 20 DME southwest of bdl, F/a advised crew of sick passenger. Oxygen was being administered and it was felt that the condition of the passenger was serious. I instructed the first officer to advise company at bdl that we would require medical assistance upon arrival. At this time, I advised bdl approach that there was a medical problem onboard and requested expeditious handling. Approach concurred and vectored flight for a turn onto the final approach course (ILS 33) at the OM. When we were handed off to the tower frequency, the local controller asked us to slow to final approach speed to accommodate departing traffic. My response was that my aircraft was already at its final approach speed given the winds and aircraft weight. At this point, the departing aircraft was holding in position for takeoff on runway 33 and my flight was on a 2-3 mi final. Tower instructed my flight to go around. I responded by asking for a landing clearance in light of the medical emergency onboard. Tower responded that he was not aware of any medical problems onboard my flight, again instructed us to go around, refusing to make the aircraft in position vacate the runway. A go around was initiated and landing was made approximately 5 mins later. I spoke to the tower supervisor moments later. His response was that approach never informed the local controller of the medical problem. Therefore, adequate coordination was never made to insure the expeditious handling requested.

Title: ACR WITH MEDICAL EMERGENCY WAS DELAYED IN LNDG DUE TO GO AROUND ISSUED BY TWR FOR CONFLICTING TRAFFIC IN POSITION ON RWY. TWR WAS NOT INFORMED BY APCH CTL THAT AN EMERGENCY SITUATION EXISTED.

Narrative: AT 20 DME SW OF BDL, F/A ADVISED CREW OF SICK PAX. OXYGEN WAS BEING ADMINISTERED AND IT WAS FELT THAT THE CONDITION OF THE PAX WAS SERIOUS. I INSTRUCTED THE F/O TO ADVISE COMPANY AT BDL THAT WE WOULD REQUIRE MEDICAL ASSISTANCE UPON ARR. AT THIS TIME, I ADVISED BDL APCH THAT THERE WAS A MEDICAL PROB ONBOARD AND REQUESTED EXPEDITIOUS HANDLING. APCH CONCURRED AND VECTORED FLT FOR A TURN ONTO THE FINAL APCH COURSE (ILS 33) AT THE OM. WHEN WE WERE HANDED OFF TO THE TWR FREQ, THE LCL CTLR ASKED US TO SLOW TO FINAL APCH SPD TO ACCOMMODATE DEPARTING TFC. MY RESPONSE WAS THAT MY ACFT WAS ALREADY AT ITS FINAL APCH SPD GIVEN THE WINDS AND ACFT WT. AT THIS POINT, THE DEPARTING ACFT WAS HOLDING IN POS FOR TKOF ON RWY 33 AND MY FLT WAS ON A 2-3 MI FINAL. TWR INSTRUCTED MY FLT TO GO AROUND. I RESPONDED BY ASKING FOR A LNDG CLRNC IN LIGHT OF THE MEDICAL EMER ONBOARD. TWR RESPONDED THAT HE WAS NOT AWARE OF ANY MEDICAL PROBS ONBOARD MY FLT, AGAIN INSTRUCTED US TO GO AROUND, REFUSING TO MAKE THE ACFT IN POS VACATE THE RWY. A GO AROUND WAS INITIATED AND LNDG WAS MADE APPROX 5 MINS LATER. I SPOKE TO THE TWR SUPVR MOMENTS LATER. HIS RESPONSE WAS THAT APCH NEVER INFORMED THE LCL CTLR OF THE MEDICAL PROB. THEREFORE, ADEQUATE COORD WAS NEVER MADE TO INSURE THE EXPEDITIOUS HANDLING REQUESTED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.